The present invention generally relates to ground-engaging apparatus and, in a representatively illustrated embodiment thereof, more particularly provides a specially designed connector system useable to releasably retain a ground-engaging wear member, such as an adapter, on an associated support structure, such as a bucket lip.
A variety of types of ground-engaging structures are typically provided with replaceable wear portions that are removably carried by larger base or support structures and come into abrasive, wearing contact with the material being displaced by the round-engaging structures. For example, the support structure might be an excavating bucket lip, and the wear portion might be an adapter which is removably secured to the bucket lip. To captively retain the adapter on the bucket lip, generally aligned transverse openings are formed through these elements, and a suitable connector structure is driven into and forcibly retained within the aligned openings to releasably anchor the replaceable adapter on the bucket lip.
The connector structure typically has to be forcibly driven into the aligned adapter and bucket lip openings (or the aligned openings in other types of telescoped wear and support members such as a tooth point disposed on an adapter) using, for example a sledge hammer. Subsequently, the inserted connector structure has to be forcibly pounded out of the aligned adapter and bucket lip openings to permit the worn adapter to be removed from the bucket lip and replaced. This conventional need to pound in and later pound out the connector structure can easily give rise to a safety hazard for the installing and removing personnel.
Various alternatives to pound-in connector structures have been previously proposed for use in releasably retaining a replaceable wear member, such as an adapter, on a support structure, such as an excavating bucket lip. While these alternative “hammerless” connector structures desirably eliminate the need to pound a connector structure into and out of telescoped wear and support members they typically present various other types of problems, limitations and disadvantages including, but not limited to, complexity of construction and use and inconvenient access for installation and removal. A need accordingly exists for improved wear member/support member connector structure and associated methods. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.